Crowy's Hungary Hippo!

Nash consultant Simon Crow has recorded a new overseas personal best with a colossal 71 lb common during a busy session at Euro Aqua in Hungary.

Coming during a week long trip to the World Carp Record holding venue with 13 other anglers, Crowy took last pick of swims, but still bagged 25 carp including his stunning new personal best 71-pounder plus mirrors of 59 lb and 62 lb.

‘My first trip to Aqua was in November last year when the weather was rough, although I did sneak a few out to over 50 lb. This time I was the trip organiser and ended up in a new swim which had only recently been opened up by the owner with two largish bays either side,’ said Simon, a renowned international carper and editor of Carp Talk.

‘Myself and fellow Nash consultant Steve Briggs started off fishing close range up to 60 metres but as the week progressed it was obvious the better fish were coming from further out - by Thursday we had rods at 100 metres to a 12 foot area where the lake bed dropped off to 16 feet.’

Successful tactics included heavy baiting with maize combined with the new Coconut Crème Instant Action boilies - a favourite of both Steve and Simon home and abroad. Hookbaits were presented on size 4 Fang X hooks to Combilink traces with 4 oz leads.

‘The early part of the week we'd only managed fish to low 30s but once we started fishing further out the better fish began to come. I kicked things off with a 62 lb mirror while Steve had them to low-fifty. It then went quiet for a few days until our last morning when a big rain storm moved into the region and turned the fish on big style.

‘On the last morning I had a small catfish at 2am and then it went crazy as I couldn't keep a rod in the water! By packing up time at 7am I'd added three forties to 44 lb, a 59 lb mirror as well as the 71 lb common. I'd gone to the lake with the hope of catching a 60-pounder so to leave it with a new PB of over 70 lb was really pleasing, especially a common as very few were caught during the week. It was an outstanding week and I was one of seven anglers who broke their personal best.’